Birthing the future

An ultrasound being performed by a trained health professional in the recently inaugurated Indrawati Jana Sewa Samiti Health Post in Sindhupalchowk. Pics: Gopen Rai

Hailing from Bhotenamlang – 9 in Sindhupalchowk, 26-year-old Anu Shrestha gave birth to her first child at what is claimed to be the first birthing centre in the area. “I feel very lucky and happy that such a facility is so close by,” shares Shrestha.

The new birthing centre is housed in a health post that was entirely destroyed in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake last year. Inaugurated by The Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub on 29 February, Indrawati Jana Sewa Samiti Health Post in Sindhupalchowk is one of the first health posts to be reconstructed following the earthquake.

With the aim of servicing over 40,000 villagers from 10 VDCs, the health post will provide basic services like family planning, ultrasound, and other maternal care facilities for women in Sindhupalchowk.

“The community health post is very close by. Otherwise, we have to walk almost 3 hours just to get an ultrasound,” said a local villager who had come to attend the free health camp arranged after the inauguration event.

A collaborative effort of the community and Global Shapers Kathmandu, the 5,000 patient capacity health post was built by Insular Dry Wall using prefabricated material. It is also being supported by organizations like Coca Cola, Nivea, Dow Medical College, Madanlal Chirangilal Group, Reliance Group Nepal, and One Heart Worldwide.

The Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub team with eight year old Karishma. The idea of reconstructing the collapsed health post was born after Karishma’s rescue from the rubble of her wrecked house by the team after the April 2015 earthquake .

“At least twice a month, I hear cases of women losing their newborn babies while coming to this health post. Now that we have this birthing center, I hope things will change for the better,” says a hopeful Shanta Dhirel, the managing clinician of the health post.

Within this year, Global Shapers Kathmandu also plans to introduce various training programs to involve and empower more villagers.

District Health Officer, Dr Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, agrees that training is a must if the community health post is to be self-sufficient. “The question now is of sustainability,” he says. “The villagers will have to be trained and taught how to maintain this facility.”

Melissa Chalmers: Regarding the eagle with the transmitter, the reason it might not be doing so well is because of the transmitter that is strapped to its back. Same as mobile phone towers and mobile phones that are making humans ill, the transmitter on the eagle would be giving off radiation constantly, day in and day out. Because it is attached to the bird, it would never have a reprieve from these signals. The safety code for these devices are based on thermal heating of a large human. Smaller animals are not covered under the safety code as they cannot thermally regulate themselves the same as a human being. No thermal health effects are not being considered at all. Please take this transmitter off this eagle and give it a chance at having a normal rest of its life. Melissa Chalmers Executive Director of EPIC Electromagnetic Pollution Illnesses Canada Foundation

M Cotton: Congratulations to Yeti Airlines for pioneering such forward looking initiatives in the Nepal corporate sector. Let’s hope this inspires others involved in industry and commerce to follow similar approaches. M Cotton

Chris Avison: Well said Seth. Ed Hillary was the Patron of the first successful Irish expedition to climb Mount Everest in May 1993. The leader was Dawson Stelfox, who is Patron of Irish Nepalese Educational Trust (INET), a charity born out of that expedition. Today, several schools and community buildings are up and running, together with a few more in the pipeline. Along with this small scale support, INET encourages environmental and health education. There is no doubt that Ed Hillary was the spark that set this alight, along with the enthusiasm of the Irish climbers and their Nepalese friends who travelled with them. Of course, none of these things are possible without the generosity of the friendly and hard working Nepalese themselves.

anonymous: We are witnessing that the people of Nepal are not only misinformed by interested parties, they are loyal and traditional therefore Bibishek Nepal with young people does not inspire confidence. The problem is the politician is just one mouth, more important are group decisions thaw will move Nepal into the new era. All fighting communists, maoists should be voted OUT they created the problem no one mended potholes now lets say time is UP> Future is for new generations, make a simbolic funeral for all current politicians, keep them as advisor but eough is enough since 20 years. Jay NEPAL.

anonymous: Usually proven result gives more money than forever cloudy info.

Arne Walderhaug: Two years on, still wondering if I will be to land at Pokhara International before I’m six foot under.

Shree Shrestha: What’s wrong with building concrete retaining wall? KMC should have built surrounding areas park like and leave the temple to be rebuilt by originalists. The way it’s going on Ranipokhari will become garbage dump site.

chet: its so sad to see the beautiful looking rani pokhari looks trash now i remember the old Rani pokhari now and i miss the beauty. In the middle of the crowd Rani Pokharai looked appealing to everyone. Really like if government could renovate it as soon as possible

gary Parkinson: Not for one moment do I believe this.An excuse for this corrupt government to carry on stealing more international money.They have a fine record on this,money has obviously been filtered into their own coffers.

Madhav: Repercussions of Kathmandu running Hashtag gobackindia. Anyway it’s good as social media nationalist must have pledged billions of dollars themselves. Charity begins at home.

Bhumsen: Lets assume Nepal got all the money. Then politicians and government officers will siphon the money anyway. Poor Nepali will never get their hands in the fund. In the name of development, funds will dry out. It is better if donors dont send money. Nepali needs to learn to be independent. Down with Corruption.

Crony n chronic party: Congress needed to suffer heavy loss to get away from Koirala clique and cronyism. New blood needs to be pumped or else suffer fate of Indian Congress. Educated lot needs to rise up and ol fogies our.